Pile



E. BECKER Dec. 8, 1936.

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Filed Dec. 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Will/[11 lfflll/lllrlllllllllll m WW w ym 1D i 0 mm n 5 i, A 6 M .9 fi \J L Ill/W114 E. BECKER Dec. 8, 1936.

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Filed Dec. 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 1 1 afney Patented Dec. 8, 1936 PILE Enno Becker, Bremen, Germany, assignor to Vereinigte Stahlwerke Aktiengesellschalt, Dusseldorl', Germany Application December 23, 1933, Serial m. 703,754 In Germany December 30, 1932 6 Claims.

In recent times piles employed in connection with mines and with buildings erected in and above water, which are generally of wood or reinforced concrete, are to an increasing extent being replaced by iron piles. Most wooden and reinforced concrete piles have the disadvantage that they are diflicult and expensive to construct and further that they are utilized without regard to the peculiar properties oi. the soil into which they are driven.

According to the invention the flanges of iron girders of I-cross-section, are deflected inwardly or otherwise provided to form spaces partially enclosed by the flanges and the web of the girder l5 and forming channels extending the length of the pile and constricted at the open sides so that when the girder is being driven into the ground the earth becomes tightly pressed into the enclosed space after the pile has reached a relatively short distance into the ground and so that the compressed earth forms with the girder a compound body and acts as a ram of full crosssection'. This increase in the eflective cross-section of the pile by the addition of the compressed 5 earth effects a compression of the earth when ramming deeply and thus increases the supporting capacityv of the pile. The pressing of the earth into the channels formed by the flanges on both sides of the girder can be more expeditously ef-' 3o fected and the earth made more resistant when the pile is being rammed in by forming the under end-faces of the supporting flanges as wedge-shaped cutting edges with the cutting edge on the outside.

The form of iron piles with channels extending along the two sides of the pile, and with the open sides of the channels constricted can be readily produced by bending inwardly the supporting flanges in such a way that the flanges form a straight, curved, bent or zig-zag line.

in cross-section, the base of the wedge lying on the outside and the outer faces of the flanges 46 lying in planes parallel-to the'plane oi the web of the pile and at right angles to the flanges. Such a construction of the supporting flanges. has the further advantage that the moments of inertia of the pile calculated on its two main 50 axes are practically equal, which is particularly useful in the case of piles which as in nearly every case, are stressed to bending. The constricted channels may be. formed by welding to the inner faces of the supporting flanges, rods or bars quadrangular or triangular in cross-section with the bases of the wedges directed outwardly. In this case the rods or bars need be only of such length as is necessary to eflect a compression of the earth. I

For some kinds of earth it may be an advan- 5 tage completely to enclose the two channels in the pile by fitting a'section of iron transversely or by fitting in a concrete plug or by closing the two channels by transverse -members in any suitable manner. This enclosing of the two 10 channels is effected advantageously above ground or a little way below the surface of the supporting layer of earth. It is particularly advantageous when the end of the pile from the pointed end of the pile as far as the position at which 15 the channels are enclosed is relatively short.

The pressing of the earth into the channels of the pile and the tamping of the ground tightly around the pile has the eflect of causing the chemical action whichiron undergoes with the 20 earth when it rusts to proceed much more rapidly than when the earth lies loosely around the pile. This acceleration in the chemical action has, however, the very great advantage that the iron compound which adheres very flrmly to the pile 2:, acts as a protection against further rusting and in addition roughens the previously smoothed surface of the pile, which in turn increases the surface friction around the pile and thus increases its bearing capacity. 3;

The accompanying'drawings illustrate by way of example several constructions of pile according to the invention.

Figures 1 to 5 are cross-sections of piles according to the invention. Q 2

Figure 6 shows the pile in longitudinal elevation.

Figure 7 illustrates a pier or Jetty in crosssection, the newconstruction for a deepened harbour being contrasted with the old construction. 40

In the drawings Figures 1 to 3 show sections of piles formed according to the invention in I which the flanges of the the girders having webs a are bent inwardly in various ways. In Figure 1 the flanges b are inclined inwardly in a straight line; in Figure 2 the flanges b are curved inwardly, while in Figure 3 the flanges b are inclined inwardly only at the ends 0. In Figure 4 the flanges d are shown of wedge-shaped cross-section with the base e of the wedge-shaped parts on the out-' side whereas in Figure 5 the girder is formed with the flanges (1 extending at right angles to the web a of the girder and angular section members -,f secured by welding or in any other suitable manner on the inner faces of the flanges d at the ends. Figure 6 is a side elevation on a smaller scale of a length of pile constructed according to the invention in which the flanges g of the girder form with the web It a channel i, the flanges a being provided with sharp edges at their lower ends at the outside as at 7' so that in driving or ramming the pile the earth into which the pile is driven is forced into the channels 2'. In Figure 7 a general view is given of a dock in which the buildings are mounted on piles, the old construction of wood piles being indicated in dotted lines and by the reference letter a: while the shaped iron piles according to the invention are indicated by the reference letter 1/.

A pile of the kind hereinbefore described has the following advantages:

1. It is simple and inexpensive to manufacture;

2. It makes use of the properties of the ground.

3. There is a rapid forming of the natural protective covering of rust.

4. The surfaces of the piles are quickly roughened and thereby its bearing capacity is ncreased.

I claim: a I

1. An iron pile of I-section in whicn the overall width of the flanges is less than the depth,

of the web and in which the width of the space between the inner edges of the flanges at each Open side of the section is less than the depth of the web between the flanges to an extent that straight lines passing through the junction of each flange with the web and the inner edges of the flanges at the open side of the sectionimeet at a point'positioned a distance at least equal to the depth of the web from the web so that on each side of the web there is an open channel of such dimensions and so constricted at the open side between the ends of the flanges forming it that the earth into which the pile is driven is compressed in the said channels to form with the .girder a compound body having an earth surface for frictional engagement with the earth surrounding the pile sumcient to produce a loadsupporting capacity.

2. An iron pile of I'-section in which the overall width of the flanges is less than the depth of the web and the flanges of the girder at each side of the web incline inwardly towards the opposing flanges to an extent that straight lines passing through the junction of each flange with the web and the inner edges of the flanges at the open side of the section meet at a point positioned a distance at least equal to the depth of the web from the web to form between them channels slightly constricted at the open sides so that the earth into which the pile is driven is compressedin the said channels to form a compound body with the girder having anarea of contact with the surrounding earth. which is sumcient to secure the frictional engagement necessary to render the girder load-supporting.

3. An iron pile according to claim 2, in which the lower faces of the girder flanges are formed with wedge shaped cutting edges at the outer side so that the earth embraced by the said cutting edges is received into the said channels.

4. An iron pile of I-section, the flanges of the girder on each side of the web being wedge-shaped in cross-section, the apices of the flanges being directed towards the corresponding apices of the opposing flanges, the said flanges forming between them channels slightly constricted at the open sides to an extent that straight lines passing through the junction of each flange with the web and the inner edges of the flanges at the open side of the section meet at a point positioned a distance at least equal to the depth of the web from the web so that the earth into which the pileis driven is compressed in the said channels to form a common body with the girder.

5. An iron pile of I-section, the flanges of the girder at each side of the web being of greater thickness at the outer end than adjacent the web and the inner faces of the said flanges-approaching one another towards the outer end to an extent that straight lines passing through the Junetion of each flange with the web and the inner edges of the' flanges at the open side of the section meet at a point positioned a distance at least equal to the depth of the web from the web to form between them channels slightly constricted at the open sides so that the-earth into which the pile is driven is compressed in the said channels to form a compound body with the girder.

6. An iron pile of I-section in which the overall width of the flanges is less than the depth of the web, and in which the flanges of the girder at each side of the web are of greater thickness at the outer end than adjacent the web and the inner faces of the said flanges approach one another towards the outer end to an extent that straight lines passing through the junction of each flange with the web and the inner edges of the flanges at the open side of the section meet at a point positioned a distance at least equal to the depth of the web from the web to form between them channels slightly constricted at the open sides, the moments of inertia of the pile 

